A fat continuous spread having less than about 35 wt. % of a continuous fat phase is described. The fat phase contains a fat or a fat blend having a solid fat content at 10.degree. C. of greater than 25 wt. %, while the aqueous phase contains 0.05 to 0.5 wt. % of a modified protein.
Fat continuous spreads or water-in-oil spreads are widely available commercially as a replacement for higher fat products such as butter or margarine. Such spreads should have a plastified continuous fat phase to give suitable spreadability and to prevent microbiological deterioration. The spreads should not release moisture when being spread yet should be spreadable at room temperature. Moreover, a desirable low fat spread should be stable at room temperature, but should destabilize and release its flavor when eaten by the consumer. All of these issues should also be addressed while providing a nutritious and good tasting product. With only a small amount of fat present in the product to be used to constitute the continuous phase, these goals are difficult to achieve.
Prior art formulators have addressed these concerns by producing spreads having a gel forming aqueous phase which must exhibit a minimum viscosity (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,915 issued to Cain et al.). These spreads, however, are destabilized upon the introduction of even a small amount of a non-gelling protein and will tolerate only gelling proteins to provide additional nutritional value.
A process for making a fat continuous spread having more than 200 ppm amino acid residues has been described in Norton, U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,285. The addition of only a small amount of native or unmodified protein to the fat continuous compositions will create a destabilized or less stable product unless the product is carefully processed.
High levels (5 wt. % and greater) of native proteins have been shown in the art to aid in processing of low fat spreads. The functional role of these proteins is to structure the aqueous phase due to gelling properties of these proteins (see Cain et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,915).
High levels of modified protein have also been demonstrated for use in spreads. The role of these proteins is as fat replacers. See U.S. Pat. No.5,151,451 (Brown et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,732 (Mongeau et al.).
Low levels of modified whey protein (e.g., 1-3%) have also been used as fat replacers (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,287, Singer et al.). As fat replacers these proteins provide a sensation of fatty material and trick the mouth into believing it is tasting fat.
At these levels of proteins in low fat spread (i.e., 1-15 wt. %) stable fat continuous products are difficult to process. Proteins, either natural or modified, at these levels do not melt in the mouth and the resulting taste is unsatisfying.
There thus continues to exist the need for a low fat spread which provides both the nutritional and organoleptic properties of low fat spread products, particularly low fat butter products, while additionally being low in fat content. An improved low fat spread product which contains a higher level of solid fat at 10.degree. C. yet is easier to process than commercially available low fat spreads is also desirable.